Homemade Naan Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (2024)

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This homemade naan recipe is easy to make, perfectly soft and chewy, and always so delicious. I’ve included a garlic naan recipe option below too!

Homemade Naan Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (1)

Have you ever tried making homemade naan? ♡

This soft, pillowy, buttery, irresistible flatbread has long been one of my favorite sides to order out at Indian restaurants. But while naan bread is traditionally baked inside blazing-hot Tandoor ovens in India, a homemade version is actually quite easy to make on the stovetop in a hot skillet!

My favorite homemade naan recipe is made with basic bread ingredients (flour, water and yeast) plus a generous dollop of yogurt, egg and baking powder to make the bread extra soft and chewy. I also prefer to use touch of honey as a natural sweetener for the bread. And if you feel like making garlic naan, I’ve included an (optional, yet oh-so-highly recommended) garlicky butter sauce that you can brush on the warm bread immediately after baking, plus I always like to sprinkle on some fresh parsley and a pinch of flaky sea salt too.

I’ve also gone back and revised this recipe to include full instructions for how to make it either 100% by hand or with with the help of a stand mixer. And I have also included options for adding in extra herbs, cheese, and/or nigella seeds to your naan bread too.

Thousands of our readers have made and loved this homemade naan recipe over the years. So if you haven’t tried it yet, grab a skillet and let’s make a batch together!

Homemade Naan | 1-Minute Video

Homemade Naan Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (2)

Homemade Naan Bread Ingredients:

Before we get to the full recipe below, here are a few quick notes about the ingredients you will need to make this homemade naan bread recipe:

  • Warm water:In order to properly activate the yeast, the water will need to be around 110°F. (I recommend measuring the temperature with a cooking thermometer, but it should feel warm but not hot to the touch.)
  • Honey:To add just a touch of sweetness to the bread. (Alternately, you can an equal amount of sugar or another sweetener if you prefer.)
  • Active dry yeast:You will need one quarter-ounce packet. Or if you buy your yeast in bulk, approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons.
  • Flour:I use plain all-purpose flour for this recipe. But if you decide to test with an alternate flour, please leave your feedback in the comments below.
  • Baking powder:To give the naan some extra rise and softness.
  • Salt:A hint of salt is added to the bread dough, but then I also like to sprinkle a bit of flaky sea salt on top of the naan just before serving.
  • Yogurt:Any type of plain yogurt (including plain Greek yogurt) will work.
  • Egg:To bind the ingredients together and make the dough a bit richer.
  • Garlic butter sauce (optional):Melted butter sautéed briefly with garlic and parsley, which you can brush on the warm dough after baking.

Homemade Naan Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (3)

Naan Bread Tips:

Full instructions for how to make naan bread are included below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind for this recipe:

  • Measure the temperature of your water:In order for the yeast to properly activate, the water/honey mixture needs to be around 110°F. This temperature should feel warm but not hot to the touch. But just to be sure, I recommend using a thermometer to check the water so that it is not too hot (which would kill the yeast) or too cold (which would not allow the yeast to activate).
  • Be sure that the yeast is fresh: If the yeast does not bubble up and foam in the first steps of the recipe, it may be a bad batch or expired.
  • Don’t worry about making perfectly sized (or shaped) naan:It’s ok if the dough isn’t divided into eight perfectly equal-sized pieces. Just eyeball it and try to roll them out to the same thickness, more or less, and they will cook evenly. Also don’t stress about making perfectly-shaped ovals unless you want to. ;)
  • Thinner vs thicker pieces:I prefer my naan to be fairly thick and chewy, so I typically roll the dough out to be around 1/4-inch thick. But if you would like thinner naan with even more bubbles, you can roll yours out even thinner.

Homemade Naan Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (4)

Possible Naan Recipe Variations:

There are about a million variations (both traditional and non-traditional) that you can try when it comes to homemade naan, so please feel free to get creative and have fun with this recipe! A few of my favorite options are to…

  • Add garlic butter:I honestly never make this recipe any more without it — the garlic butter option included below adds so much flavor!
  • Add fresh herbs: Fresh cilantro or parsley are traditional herbs often used in naan. But feel free to experiment with any other fresh or dried herb blends that sound good! I’m partial to occasionally sprinkling some everything bagel seasoning or za’atar onto my naan, which I highly recommend.
  • Add cheese:This is definitely more non-traditional, but I love occasionally adding a handful of shredded cheddar cheese to the naan dough, or sprinkling on some freshly-grated Parmesan just before serving.

Homemade Naan Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (5)

Ways To Use Naan Bread:

There are so many great ways that you can put this recipe to use! For example, feel free to…

  • Serve it solo: As a simple side dish or for dipping in curries, soups, stews, dips…you name it.
  • Flatbreads or pizzas: Use the naan as your base and load it up with your favorite toppings to make naan pizzas.
  • Sandwiches or paninis: Use the freshly-baked naan to make sandwiches or grill them to make paninis.
  • Wraps or tacos: Fill the naan with fillings (falafel and chicken souvlakiare two of my faves) to make naan wraps or tacos.
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Homemade Naan Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (6)

Homemade Naan

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.9 from 169 reviews

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 75 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Description

This homemade naan recipe is easy to make, perfectly soft and chewy, and always so delicious. I highly recommend adding the garlic butter option listed below!

Ingredients

Scale

Naan Ingredients:

(Optional) Garlic Butter Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup salted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • finely- chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
  • (optional) flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Activate the yeast: Briefly stir together the warm water and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer. (Or see notes below about how to make the dough by hand.) Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and give it a quick stir, then let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
  2. Mix the dough: Add the flour, yogurt, salt, baking powder, and egg. Using the dough attachment, mix the dough on medium-low speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth. (The dough will still be slightly sticky, but should form into a ball that pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour.)
  3. Let the dough rise. Remove dough from the mixing bowl and use your hands to shape it into a ball. Grease the mixing bowl (or a separate bowl) lightly with cooking spray, then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel. Place the bowl in a warm location (I set mine by a sunny window) and let it rise for 1 hour until the dough has nearly doubled in size.
  4. (Optional) Make the garlic butter: During the last 10 minutes of the dough’s rise time, heat the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat until melted. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove the pan from heat and stir in some chopped herbs, if desired. (You can also strain out the garlic chunks if you prefer the garlic butter to be completely smooth.)
  5. Roll out the dough. Once the dough is ready to go, transfer it to a floured work surface and shape it into an even(ish) circle. Cut the dough into 8 equally-sized wedges and roll each wedge into a ball with your hands. Then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough ball until it forms an oval about 1/4-inch thick. (I recommend multi-tasking this process — rolling out the next dough ball while you cook one on the stove.)
  6. Cook the dough. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat until it is nice and hot. Add a piece of the rolled-out dough to the pan and cook for 1 minute, or until the top of the dough begins to bubble and the bottom turns lightly golden. Flip the dough and cook on the second side for 30-60 seconds, or until the bottom is golden as well, then transfer the dough to a clean plate. (If you are making garlic naan, brush one or both side(s) of the dough with the garlic butter once the naan has cooked.) Sprinkle the naan with a pinch of flaky sea salt, if desired. Then lightly cover the naan with a clean towel so that it stays warm. Repeat with remaining dough until all of the naan pieces are cooked, adjusting the heat of the pan if needed to keep it hot (but not overly-hot so that it burns the bread).
  7. Serve.Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

To make the dough by hand:Instead of using a stand mixer, complete step 1 in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, yogurt, salt, baking powder, egg, and stir the mixture until combined. Then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes, until smooth. (The dough will still be slightly sticky, but should form into a ball that pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour as you knead.)

Source: Recipe adapted fromAll Recipes. I also updated the photos and recipe (making the garlic butter optional; everything else is the same) in November 2020.

posted on December 3, 2020 by Ali

Baked Goods / Breads, Main Dishes, Vegetarian

406 Comments »

Homemade Naan Recipe | Gimme Some Oven (2024)

FAQs

How long do you heat naan in the oven? ›

That said, it is easy to reheat naan bread in the oven, as it restores the fluffy texture.
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place the naan in a single layer on the grilling tray or baking sheet.
  3. Sprinkle a little water over the naan.
  4. Bake in the oven for 3-5 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven.
May 25, 2022

How do you keep naan soft in the oven? ›

Placing a tray of water beneath the naan while it's baking might infuse the necessary moisture to retain its softness, all while achieving that desired crisp exterior.

What is a naan bread oven called? ›

A tandoor (/tænˈdʊər/ or /tɑːnˈdʊər/) is a large vase-shaped oven, usually made of clay. Since antiquity, tandoors have been used to bake unleavened flatbreads, such as roti and naan, as well as to roast meat.

How to toast naan in the oven? ›

Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Cut each naan bread into 8 wedges using a knife or pizza cutter. Arrange them all on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of the wedges with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides generously with the salt.
  3. Bake until they're golden brown and crisp, 15 to 18 minutes.

How do you heat naan without making it hard? ›

cover it with a lid n reheat for like 40-50 seconds…. it will be soft as before.” An Instagrammer penned, “But the easy way is to put it directly on the gas flame and let it heat from both the sides, it's exactly ready to eat like new.”

What does naan mean in English? ›

: a round flat leavened bread especially of the Indian subcontinent.

What is the English name for naan? ›

Naan or naan bread is a type of bread that comes in a large, round, flat piece and is usually eaten with Indian food.

Is naan good for you? ›

While it may contain more carbs and sugars, it earns its reputation as a healthy alternative with its relatively generous amounts of protein and fiber. Despite its high carb content, naan can be considered a more nutrient-dense alternative to white bread and pita.

Why use yogurt in naan bread? ›

Naan has a thicker, fluffier texture because it is made with yogurt. Pita is thinner bread made with less ingredients (flour, water, salt, etc) and no yogurt. Naan is cooked in a skillet while Pita is usually baked at very high temperatures in the oven.

Can I use milk instead of yogurt in naan bread? ›

While making naan, yogurt can be substituted with buttermilk, lemon juice and milk, curd and butter, sour cream, soy yogurt, and coconut milk yogurt. Some of these substitutes are dairy products while others are vegan-friendly non-dairy products.

What is the best way to reheat naan? ›

In a pinch, Mary recommended just wetting the naan, wrapping it in a moist paper towel, and microwaving it. But microwaving and then pan-frying it is the absolute best way to reheat leftover naan.

How do you heat store bought naan bread? ›

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the naan from its packaging and place it directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet. Heat the naan for 2-3 minutes, or until it's soft and heated through. Keep an eye on it to prevent overcooking.

Is it better to reheat naan in the oven or microwave? ›

Now, I can confidently say the absolute best way to reheat leftover naan is Mary Usha's way, to microwave and then pan-fry it. In a pinch, just microwaving the moistened naan would suffice. For those who wish to use the oven, air fryer, or toaster, introduce steam or a touch of moisture to prevent dryness.

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